Let’s Play!
Mother Nature brought us a purple and pink first light with vast cloud cover looking like a layered cake. As we got closer to sunrise, the color show morphed to blue and white with a hint of pink.
The Monday morning commute was packed filling up the traffic lanes. As the flock flew in, one of the gulls said, “Keep your chin up and wings open so you can soak up all that your heart desires.”
Once they arrived, we headed to the water to play and get squeaky clean. They said, “Sure self care can be a chore, so we highly recommend playing while you take care of the mundane duties.”
"You see, we get squeaky clean while surfing and splashing around. We go head first into the waves letting the water roll right over taking the stress away. Grab your flock and let's play!"
Wishing you a fun filled day!
Keep your chin up and wings open
Soften your edges to stay strong
The wind was whipping this morning as I walked to the beach. The temperature was chilly and invigorating. The flock of gulls showed up in perfect unison with the wings and hearts open. They used the wind to hang in place and get really close to connect.
As the sun came up they became even more frisky, diving into the sunlight then flying up like a a perfect ballerina company.
We jumped in the water for bath time surrounded by golden sparkles. One of the gulls getting squeaky clean said, “Us birds are in survival mode a lot. So our key to health is to lift each other up and take time to soften our edges. You see relaxing our wings helps feathers and body stay strong.”
Wishing you a soft and sweet day friends!
Raise each other up
Tiny Dancer
Give us a kiss?
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Do You Ever See Any Sharks?
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Do You Ever See Any Sharks?
I’ve been asked twice this week if I ever see any sharks. I see way more in the ocean than I do in the river. While in the river, I was approached once and another time I was warned by a dolphin that a shark was in the area.
In the first experience, the shark came from the right, close enough to get my attention but kept swimming. A minute later it came back swimming straight toward me. I waited until it was a few feet away and started to back up quickly. That motion caused the shark to dart away. I think we were both relieved.
The second time I was in the water up to waist with just one dolphin. The water was very murky. He swam toward me stuffing hard. Chuffing is when they repeatedly blow out their blow hole. I backed up to my knees. He did it again so backed up to my ankles and shark swam by.
I see the occasional shark bite on a dolphin. These are old photos, from 4.28.21 and 5.4.23. This is the dolphin I call Maximus, he has one shark bite on the side and one from last year behind his dorsal fin.
I spent a lot of time with him after the second bite in May 2023. He seemed to be healing well. He was chasing fish and even flying out of the water. I always let the authorities know when I see a shark bite or injured dolphin so they can monitor their recovery.
Stay tuned for more tales!
5.4.23
5.4.23
showing the first bite I photographed in 2021
Maximus just a few feet away. 4.28.23
I was walking to the right and he swam infront of me and came straight up out of the water
You can see the forst shark bite and the cut in the back in this photo
Step into your confidence
Jack Frost has decided to spend his winter here in sunny Florida bringing us another overcast and chilly morning. Despite the cool temperatures and wind, the flock flew in to say good morning.
New Smyrna Beach is having a celebrity week with sighting of Right whales yesterday, Brad Pitt filming in town and Tiger the Heermann’s gull showing up at sunrise.
It’s true, in the birding world Tiger the Heermann’s gull is right up there with Brad. This morning, all the other birds swooned around the handsome bird hoping to get close.
Tiger reminds us to step fully into our confidence. He said, “Whether you a laughing gull or a famous Heermann’s gull like me, we all have a important role to play, so don’t be shy, shine your light and help make the planet a brighter place.”
Wishing you a bright and shiny day friends!
Tiger the Heermann’ gull is in the middle of the flock
Tiger the Heermann’s Gull
Hello!
Exhale stress and tension
Inhale, Exhale, Repeat.
Mother Nature brought us a pastel sunrise with a sweet pink and blue color palette. The ocean was calm except for perfect waves beckoning the surfers to come play.
One of the sunrise crew described the morning perfect was tranquil. So true, a wonderful way to calm the nervous system and restore balance.
The flock flew in ready to connect. One Legger has a new wing man, a two legger with a floppy leg. Floppy didn’t seem phased by the injury, feeling frisky and strong. She said, “Stay strong and focus on your strengths. You are stronger than you know.”
After sunrise there was a quick dolphin and pelican party. One of the dolphin I call Holy Guacamole because he has a perfect hole in his Doral fin said, Remember the power of your breath.
“Inhaling gives us life, exhaling releasing the stress. We know the benefits of exhaling are just as big as inhaling. Join us in breathing in life and letting the go of all the tension.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
www.shelleylynchphotos.com
One Legger and Floppy Leg
Stay open
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Mullet Fest
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Mullet Fest
It’s the time of year when mullet is what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The pelicans were following the commercial fishermen around like puppy dogs when they were not tailgating the dolphins.
The immature pelican I posted a few days ago with a huge fish did it again today! A pod of dolphins were chasing fish under the dock when the youngin’ flew in and picked up a whopper of a mullet. He was able to get it down the hatch with ease this time.
Stay tuned for more tales!
I’m away from sunrise today ( Thursday) Hope to be back tomorrow.
Check him out, making sure I see his whopper of a catch. :)
The sun brings a lift
As I reached the edge of the ocean not a creature was stirring not even a gull. I wasn’t there long before the flock flew in to say hello. The temperature was crisp with a brisk wind giving us an invigorating pre sunrise.
When the sun came up, the flock became frisky celebrating the gorgeous big ball of light. They hovered in front of the sun letting it illuminate their tail feathers.
One Legger who was front and center in the flock brings us the message of soaking up the sunlight.
She said, “The sun has the ability to lift us up, fill us with hope and warmth. Add getting squeaky clean to the mix our well being gets a boost. We are grateful for the sun and all it life it brings.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Getting squeaky clean in the sunshine
The sunrsie post was late because I didn’t want to leave the lagoon party.
Kick it to stir up momentum
Good Morning!
Fog enveloped the entire area at sunrise bringing us a grey, white and wet start to the day. I thought a little sunshine and colors would be nice to share.
The shark reminds us to keep on swimming. Stay in motion, even if things feel challenging. As you keep 'kicking it' you can stir up momentum.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Sweet Lovin’
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Sweet Lovin’
There wasn’t much light but there was an abundance of love in the lagoon today.
Daniko and Jasper, 2 males dolphins came into the lagoon for about 20 minutes. Daniko was very sweet spending a lot of time close by having a nice conversation. After 20 minutes, Jasper smacked his tail, saying, “Come on, we gotta go!”
They left….but only to go grab their friends. It wasn't too long before they were back with lots of friends and enjoying an abundance of sweetness. I wanted to call this episode ‘Daddy’s Day with the Kiddos’ because the males were playing with the kiddos like dads on a playground.
Daniko and Jasper played in a very gentle and loving way with the little ones. It wasn’t like when they splash and tear it up kind of snuggles, this was more like the males showing the youngins how much they loved them.
Stay tuned for more tales!
Sunrise for Monday is previous post
Jasper an adult male on the left giving love to a youngster
A sweet Salsa Dolphin Dance. Click the wheel at bottom right and choose higest resolution for best viewing
trust your instincts, be open to change
Mother Nature brought us a wintry sunrise with layered clouds soaking up the changing color show. The morning started off dark and very moody bluesy, thankfully shifting to a bright and beautiful start to the day.
The sun brought with it a silvery shimmer on the water with pink skies to the north adding to the beauty. The sunrise crew was very happy to see the visible sun shining bright!
4 pelicans on Pelican Highway took a quick detour and landed in the the shallow water near several gulls. They bring us the message of being open to changing directions fast.
They went on to say, “We need to follow our instincts to know where to find food. We stay focused and open to altering our flight path at any moment. It’s good to have a plan and trust your intuition if you need to modify your agenda.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - A party for all ages!
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - A Party For All Ages!
Good Morning!
Sunrise was almost black and white this morning....I thought if I was going to share almost black and white photos, flying dolphins would be more fun!
Late yesterday afternoon after the rain stopped I was in the lagoon with a solo Momma and her baby for an hour when out of the blue the male dolphins came to play!
M, Charley, Cutter, Daniko started flying about 15 feet away. So exciting! The joy called to surrounding dolphins becasue a few minutes later more Momma's and their calves came and the party continued. All ages joined in the fish fest, snuggles, leaping, twist and shouting, back flipping kind of fun!
Wishing you a flipping good day friends!
Rainy Day snuggles
We are having another rainy overcast morning so thought I'd share a favorite snuggle fest. These are from August when a herd of manatees were snuggling in the shallow water at sunrise.
Wishing you a hug filled day!
A video of the snuggles https://youtu.be/O5HnqkJTCEY
A video of the manatees kicking it to get out of the shallow and into deeper water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhT49diDmCk
Knock knock
A heavy layer of clouds enveloped the ocean and shore like a cozy blanket. Sweet pastel colors filled the sky giving us a soft and soothing vibe to start the day.
Perfect waves rolled toward shore when the flock flew in to say hello. Pelican Highway easily floated southbound over the waves while a solo surfer enjoyed having the ocean to himself
After sunrise I ran into a very loud wood pecker. He said, “Knock knock, I’m here to let you know opportunities are knocking at your door. Stay alert and ready to seize the moment. Be open to old projects returning and new ones taking off, either way, you are supported!”
Wishing you an abundant day friends!
www.shelleylynchphotos.com
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Pelicans and Their Fish Tales
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Pelicans and Their Fish Tales
The first photo is from today which inspired the post sharing 'Fish Tales' from the perspective of the pelican. Each of these had a story to tell when they returned to the flock for a good night sleep.
I've watched while they hold a fish in their pouch for hours contemplating if it's a good idea to try to swallow or let it go.
Most of the time, they know to let it go if it is too large.
The pelican today was holding on for a long time as s/he drifted away pondering what to do.
Stay tuned for more tales!
Be open to change
As I walked to the beach I could feel the energy of the invisible new moon ushering in new and fresh energy. Rain over night added to the fresh feeling of the morning.
The flock flew in before sunrise squaring about the cool air. They used the wind to hang in place and say hello. They darting off and back several times bringing the message of being spontaneous.
Tiger the Heermann's gull was in the flock. He's our celebrity bird who came all the way from California. This is his 4th winter here in New Smyrna beach.
The flock said, “Be open to change and shifting directions. Trust the change is leading you toward your goals, even if they are unexpected. Let your heart guide you to new adventures."
When the sun came up, it looked as if a group of people were meeting in front of the sun. After a few minutes they walked from right to left bringing the message we have support all around.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Tiger the Heermann’s gull
People in the sun walking to the left.
Dig Deep, you got this
Good Morning! Old man winter has brought us another rainy and overcast sunrise. I thought I’d share one of the top 3 wildlife experiences I had in 2023. I’ve seen a handful of momma turtles since picking up photography. They always leave a profound imprint.
On this day in July, the beach was massive making the trek for this Momma very long. At one point a few egrets joined her as if cheering her on, letting her know she wasn’t alone.
I made a video capturing her journey. When I posted this video many people commented saying I should have helped her. The truth is, it is illegal and this is part of the journey of a turtle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39NK9u5v31I&t=38s
She brings us the message of wisdom, strength and resilience. She said, “I know my journey isn’t always easy, but I am built for this."
"My inner knowing tells me where and when to lay my eggs. I’m a reminder that you can trust yourself, even when the path seems daunting. Sure you may have to dig deep to get there, I know if I can do it, so can you. Stay strong!”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Silly Sunrise Video and a sweet Pup
Meet Gravy, he's an old soul with the spirit of a puppy. What fun to hang with he and his Hooman. Witnessing their love was a real treat!
Dog Photoshoots are on sale through Valentine's Day Just $150 from $249.
Stand in the flock long enough and they invite you in :). Ah, the joys of unexpected connections.
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - The Unfolding of a Friendship
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - The Unfolding of a Friendship
One of the first dolphin photos I snapped was a dolphin speeding by with a pelican on his tail. At the time, April 27, 2018, I didn’t know that I would get to know him on a personal level.
Actually I didn't get to know him personally until March 26, 2021, 3 yers later. On this day I was out in the deep end of the lagoon, dolphins were everywhere, when a dolphin underwater came speeding toward me from my left. When he got just a few feet away he popped up, hydroplaned by and I snapped his photo. He definitely had my attention!
I wasn’t sure if he was male or female then so I called him Danika after the female race car driver for his speed. When he showed me his belly and I knew he was male, I changed his name to Daniko.
We have spent many hours together since then. His male bestie is Jasper who also engages and likes to give photo opportunities. He enjoys time with Momma Sarabi and her latest calf. He also spent time with Sarabi and her first bay I met, Simba who is another story to share.
The drone photo is of Daniko closest to the camera, and Momma Sarabi and her calf. That day was mind blowing. I’ll attach a video from that day. Brent Eite with Focal Point Videography and 2 other camera people were present to catch the sweet interaction.
The three of them swam by really slow to say hello. Just before swimming by Daniko wanted to chase a mullet in the shallows so Sarabi went and got him as if saying,”Come on! They are filming! We have to go!" And they glided by pausing in front of the camera.
He loves his fish! He eats mullet the most, but loves redfish, flounder and an occasional jack. On the day of the flounder I was saying, “Daniko! Show me your fish!” He grabbed the fish and swam it by nice and slow, holding it up just a few feet away.
I had no idea when I snapped that first photo, I would get such a personal glimpse into his life. It is truly an honor.
Stay tuned for more tales!
This is the video where you can see Momma Sarabi leave her baby to get Daniko to come be a part of the filming. Not to worry, the baby patiently waits and Sarabi swims right back to her baby giving her a gentle reassuring nose bump.
Sunday sunrise is previous post
4.27.2018
Introducing himself 3.26.21
11.4.22
2.4.23
7.31.23
Look for guideposts
Raindrops keep falling on my head…..Mother Nature brought us a dramatic and gorgeous sunrise with walls of rain on the horizon with huge fluffy clouds. .
The rain eventually made its way to the beach just as the sun was coming up to greet the day.
The dark clouds illuminated 2 channel markers on the horizon bringing us another message. The channel markers said, “When things look and feel ominous, look for the sings to guide you along your path. Guideposts are everywhere, be open to seeing them and they will appear to show you the way.”
Much like a silver lining, a giant heart appeared in the clouds reminding us to find love in the drama.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Can you see the heart in the cloud?
Channel markers lit up to show the way
